Customer Reviews

Schoenberg - Pierrot lunaire · Erwartung / Castellini · Marc · Sinopoli

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is one of an extremely small number of solo recordings in which those involved realised that, while the solo is most important, it is not the only thing going on.

By that, I mean that you can hear everything the accompaniment does while still being able to hear the vocalists well. That in itself should be sufficient reason to buy this album; you'll hear everything that Schönberg wrote.

(Now, if only more acoustic engineers would do this when recording operas and concerti, realizing that if, say, Wagner had not wanted me to be able to hear the bassoons and clarinets underneath the thunderously loudly microphoned vocalists, he would not have written for them.)

It's too bad that this item is out of stock. It is simply the very best performance of Pierrot Lunaire available. Why? Because Sinopoli best handles the lower register notes; something often overlooked by students and conductors worried more about the upper register. One sees that ample,detailed attention is almost always give to both the small orchestra, the conductor and the upper register notes. But the knowledgealbe listener, given a head to head listening, would choose this recording.

Alessandra Marc gives a definitive and breath-taking performance. This is the very best recording of Erwartung available.

After listening to the De Gaetani, and the Schaeffer, I definitely believe this recording is the best Pierrot recording I've heard. At first, it was hard for me to adjust to the heft of Castellini's voice. But when it hit me, I realized that her voice carries a necessary insanity for this piece, even more so than De Gaetani's glass pure voice, and Schaeffer's overtly bel canto voice. While the De Gaetani is GREAT, this recording is even greater because, for me, it's heavier. Especially in "Enthauptung" - where Castellini nails the pivotal "Der Mooooonnddd.... das blanke Turkenschwert!"

Furthermore, the De Gaetani recording is a bit too fast for my taste in many spots. Sinopoli's tempi are perfect for allowing the listener to hear the intense synergy of the polyphony, and the musicians capture the Hauptstimme's quite magically. If you're looking for a great recording of this piece, I highly suggest this over the other two I mentioned.

If you saw Dawn Upshaw perform it live at Zankel - that was pure magic...

Concering the above review, "this is the best Pierrot" I disagree with. Its good, but not as good as the definitive, Jan Degaetani/still in print, recorded 1970.
Another i prefer over this Sinopoli is the OOP, Pousseur/Herreweghe. That one has 1 listing at $50.Only worth it for collectors of great Pierrot's. Still I prefer the De Gaetani vs the Pousseur.
Hope that helps.

The Erwartung/with Alessandra Marc is "less successful.
3 Stars for this cd only.